s.h.i.+n sat alone on top of a collapsed brick home, happily watching the children interact. Healers were tending to the wounds of some of the injured and malnutritioned, while warriors turned themselves into stonemasons, creating temporary barricades that could defend against a regular Tier 4 Spirit Beast.

The appearance of the Four-Eyed Golden Ape did minimal damage to the already decrepit Jikaj Village. With the help brought over by Earl Donnavan, the village could likely spend the next three months rebuilding the torn area. The d.u.c.h.ess of Highgarden had even promised to build new roads to help facilitate ease of access to the remote region. If the Jikaj Village kept their end of the bargain, the tragedy that was the Worldquake could quickly become an afterthought.

Children like Justin would be able to return back to their old lives while commoners could all have full bellies once again. It was truly a goal to look forward to.

"A penny for your thoughts?" While s.h.i.+n was still lost in thought, a sudden voice called out to him, breaking his concentration. Looking down, s.h.i.+n saw a young woman walking to his location with a bright smile.

"Sister Bingying," s.h.i.+n responded. "Have you finished the rationing?"

"It's all done now," Bingying replied with a smile. "The Jikaj Village is rather low on supplies, so the most we could do was give them enough bread and wheat for three months now. However, once Earl Donnavan hears of this, he'll likely send more rations down. So you don't have to worry about a thing."

"That's good..." s.h.i.+n dropped his shoulders and diverted his attention past Meijing Bingying. His eyes landed on Justin, the kind-hearted boy that tried to save him when he had thought that s.h.i.+n was a vagrant. The boy was beyond jubilant, smiling with his full set of teeth while playing with his friends.

Meijing Bingying noticed her younger brother's loving eyes and jokingly teased: "Have you taken a liking to the boy? Do you want to bring him back?"

"Why phrase it like I'm a child predator that kidnaps any cute child I see?" s.h.i.+n helplessly sighed. "I was just wondering if Errol would grow up to be like Justin. A kind-hearted and brave boy."

"Given that both Kanari and you would spoil Errol rotten… I doubt so?"

"You..." s.h.i.+n growled, forcing Meijing Bingying to throw her hands up in defeat.

"I'm joking, joking..." The beauty giggled. These moments were few and far between… The times where the two could drop their facades as the Prince of Water and the Pearl in the East, to just be two regular human beings who could joke around freely. "I'm just trying to ease up the mood, ya? You seem kind of down ever since you've taken the request of the Highgarden Duchy."

"Hah… There's no hiding from Sister Bingying, huh?" s.h.i.+n dropped his shoulders. Relaxing his brows, the man leaned back on the roof, allowing Bingying to take a comfortable spot by his side.

"So, I'll ask again… A penny for your thoughts?" Meijing Bingying repeated her opening statement, eagerly waiting for s.h.i.+n's response.

s.h.i.+n's eyes never left the orange sunset as he blankly blurted out: "I was just thinking about the state of the current Terre Continent. At the top level, all we can see are reports, laced with flowery words and random numbers. However, as I toured around the affected regions… All I can see is human suffering. Families are torn apart with many pa.s.sing away or abandoning their homes. Children starving and adults sacrificing their lives for the safety of their offspring. The disconnect between someone who sits on their lofty throne and the commoners that are suffering day after day… The disconnect is astonis.h.i.+ng."

Over the past few weeks, s.h.i.+n had been travelling throughout the Himmel Empire, trying to save as many lives as he possibly could. Setting aside the big cities that had Spirit Kings and Spirit Emperors to protect them, s.h.i.+n tried to save as many small villages as he possibly could. Those that had nothing left, no food, no money and no defences. s.h.i.+n wanted to lead those helpless souls into salvation, and that was precisely what he'd done. However, some villages were utterly devastated by the Worldquake. Others were abandoned even before s.h.i.+n could reach them.

"I'm one of the lucky few… Because I climbed to the apex of the world from the bottom… I get to see both sides of the coin. All lives are not created equal… I know that now. However, every time I see an innocent soul being displaced from their everyday lives… My heart can't help but sink."

"That's the sad part about reality… We can't save them all..." Meijing Bingying sadly said. "However, as those that view the world from the top, we have the ability to combat the source of all this destruction and suffering… And that is… To kill the Allfather."

"I know that, but..." All of a sudden, s.h.i.+n paused. He could feel that Meijing Bingying was insinuating something with her statement and being the sharp tool that he was, s.h.i.+n immediately looked at the woman in shook. "You can't mean..."

"Yes… Isadore has just sent word." Meijing Bingying playfully chuckled. However, hidden within her smile, was a fierce blade that could pierce through a thousand facades. "The plan to siege Mythpoint Reach as been approved. The Alliance has called for your return."

❖❖❖

The Neutral Lands. Mythpoint Reach. Three months after the Worldquake.

Every single country was licking their wounds, desperately trying to bring their homes back on track. Billions of gold were spent, and there wasn't a single idle worker in their countries. Stonemasons, even those that had long retired, came out from hiding to rebuild the damaged buildings. Farmers worked tirelessly, planting new crops while testing the state of their soil. Constables joined forces with the military to curb bandits and stray Spirit Beasts that threatened the land.

Fortunately for the three superpowers, the Allfather and the Black Masks hadn't launched a counterattack and had been holed up in Mythpoint Reach for the longest time. This gave the three superpowers crucial time to rebuild their fractured communities without the pressure of certain death floating above their heads.

However, that didn't mean that the Alliance remained idle. They'd sent a large portion of their intelligence agents to observe Mythpoint Reach cautiously evaluating every movement, large or small, that the Black Masks made. To them, Mythpoint Reach was like a ticking time bomb, one that could detonate at any given moment. However, the time had finally come to defuse that dastardly threat once and for all.

Six figures appeared in the distance, staring down the colossal Tree of Darkness. It was still protected by the intense energy barrier created by the Nine Payircis that surrounded it. Last time, Saint Geom, the one widely regarded as the most offensive-based Spirit Saint, attempted to destroy the barrier but to no avail. Over the years, the barrier hadn't degraded one bit. In fact, in many ways, it was stronger than before. However, the six figures didn't seem too concerned over that fact. Particularly with the colossal structure that was flying behind them.

"Saint Thor… Is there really a need to bring Deus Citadel over?" Saint Firebird, the Spirit Saint from the Himmel Empire, asked.

"I don't have a choice! The new weapon that our Blacksmith's League had created can only show its true potential with Deus Citadel around! Do you think I would bring out our most prized a.s.set if the weapon could be moved that easily?"

"Leave him be, Saint Firebird." A calm voice entered the fray. Saint Atossa, the Spirit Saint that guarded the Mercenary Guild, chuckled as she stared at the short, yet st.u.r.dy Blacksmith Saint. "Saint Thor is probably feeling more aggrieved than you ever would. To him, Deus Citadel is his pride and joy. Bringing it out to face potential danger… This is the first time I'd ever seen this black-hearted man do that."

"Hmph!" Saint Thor snorted but didn't give a single retort. Saint Atossa was right. He really was unwilling to bring out the Blacksmith's League most potent weapon and frisk it into the thick of danger. Alas, he didn't have a choice.

"What's the situation inside?" A woman's voice sounded out. With long black-hair and porcelain-like skin that would make any teenage girl cry out tears of envy, the woman had donned on a pure white healer's garb with golden angels embroidered all over it. It was the holy robes could only be worn by those from the highest order. The robes showing… A Divine Healer.

"Saint Althea, based on our projections, a few Brahmins are staring us down. The weaker Black Masks are also on standby. However, there hasn't been any signs of the Nine Coloured n.o.ble Beasts." Saint Atossa replied with her findings.

"Saint Longyu Tian," the Saint from the Mercenary Guild moved to the final figure among the six. "Did you see anything with your future sight?"

The black-haired Spirit Saint from the Longyu Clan released her ability, turning her eyes from gold back to azure. "Unfortunately, no..."

The original four Spirit Saints that attacked the Allfather before had gathered, with two prominent additions. In most cases, this force plus Deus Citadel and all the elites that roamed inside of the floating fortress would be enough to bring down any civilisation of old. Heck, even the three superpowers would think twice before going up against a force of six Spirit Saints. However, by some odd circ.u.mstances, it was actually the Alliance's forces that were unsure of victory. The threat posed by a Rank 99 Allfather was just far too significant for anyone to simply brush off.

"The barrier seems to block all of my senses… The Time-Elements are dilated within the field, and I can't accurately tell if the Allfather is awake or not." Longyu Tian added.

"So we can't really confirm if the Allfather would counter if we attack..." Saint Geom stroked his long beard in amus.e.m.e.nt. "No matter… Even if he does interfere, I'm not the same sword that fought him all those years ago… I'll be sure to defeat him in one shot."

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"You sure have confidence," Saint Althea chuckled.

"Hmph! As if I'll let one defeat get me down. My sword has been grinded down and is ready to taste a Rank 99 Spirit Saint's blood! In fact, I would hope that he puts up a fight! Otherwise, all my effort would have gone to waste!"

That's right. The Spirit Saints that lost against the Allfather… They were here for round two. And this time… They had brought out all of their trump cards, leaving nothing behind.

✵✵✵

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